The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-03-19

crease the Nolunc VI lne iiHhois -V'iNNN
cubic feet. We pump into the canal 40. to
$1,000 cubic feet per minute aud we Will
raise il to 10. or 10000 per minute. In or
binary low water one.third of the water that
passes Ottawa is Chicago sewage, You can
Judge If il is oXidiIed or not. We propose
to give $4,000 feet per minute for every
100000 people down along the canal The
channel we propose to make will afford this
n, 900 cubic feet per minute for the full
2,50O, 900, our estimated future population
Your flow will be ten times as much as now
and no offensive smell at your city. We
have figured from the tables of old European
cities where the sewage question has been
. great problem, settled on the lass ofages
OF experience.
"At Chicago we have two rivers which at
high water flow back into the lake, convey
ing all the sewerage Of the city and blacken
ing the water for miles. At the summit
the water divides, one, half coming this way
and the other half towards Chicago. Heavy
rains push all the sewage Of the north and
south branches into the lake. II is our pur-
pose to protect ourselves against floods by
surrounding the city to the west and north
with large channel "a feet wide and % feet
deep, into which these freshets will all
be drained and carried to the lake. This
channel is to be independent of the canal,
but not to let the sewerage into it or the
lake. The main channel may be 200 feet
wide and will cost SIC, O00, 900 for every
thing. We shall need to spend one million
to get through Joliet so as not to touch the
canal. We virtually terminate at Lake
Joliet; from that point we let her 60. The
effect of flow Of 600, 600 cubic feet Of water
per minute at Morris will add or Q times
to the flow; it will raise the river feet and
make it navigable to Kankakee without lock
or dam. II will raise the river at Ottawa
feet and above to Marseilles 4 feet; at La
Sale il will swell up TO s or 9 feet above low
water mark. The Illinois river at that point
is a peculiar stream it wanders about
among the islands as if trying to find the
old lake outlet.
at will be Used feet above the pond at
Henry and the entire Illinois river from OF.
tawa to the Mississippi river will be navi-
gable stream-240 miles without locks or
dams There will be need Of two locks
above here, one of them at Marseilles. Chi
cago will pay the cost Of this improvement.
Her channel will allow lake vessels TO go
down to Joliet This with the big river be-
low will practically solve the problem of a
ship canal.
There will be 5000 or 10000 acres of
land in the Morris bottoms that will be over
flowed or damaged by high water. Twenty
per cent of these lands will be ruined and
20 per cent. damaged more or less, making
40 per cent. in all. From Morris to Mar.
settles and on to near La Sale but little dam
age will be done. Below that point can't
say, not having estimated it. Probably
$500, 900 will cover the damage from Joliet
to La Sale, and $500, 600 in the whole state,
the entire length of the river. But another
point: If this is not done, if this great open
ing to the lake is not made you will find
your own sewage an intelerable burden.
Joliet, Morris, Marseilles, Ottawa. La Sale,
Peru and Peoria, all discharge their sew.
age into the river. Every town along the
river does it. The percentage Of sewage
that each town adds to the waters would be
to you if you could estimate it.
At the slow rate Of the flow in the summer
100 feet minute in the center Of the cur.
rent and the water at the banks stagnant
and reeklng with flth-your own and your
up stream neighbors will soon become intol-
cradle and you will want relief, too, so you
will welcome this mighty flow of the pure
current from the lake which has oxidized
and consumed the poisonous deposits of
your city sewers, and in their place supplied
a swift moving volume of cool. sparkling and
crystal waters from the lake Applause.
Mayo said al am satisfied not to cross
examine the witness - Laughter.
have looked into the question for informa.
ton and have come to the conclusion that
the opposition to this plan of solving this
great question are in the wrong. If we
now get two.thirds of the sewerage of Chi
cago with so small diution of water, then
to greatly add to the volume Of water must
entirely destroy the offensive doors of the
stream That the water of the Illinois river
at certain seasons Of the year both summe"
and winter are not only highly nauseous and
is not matter Of doubt. He
had experienced the i'll effects of this sew.
age polluted water. So for the health and
pleasure Of mankind, as that Of the fish, he
preferred pure water, and if by this propos
ed scheme they can give us flow of 2O0, 900
TO 30O,0 900 cubic feet per minute Of clear,
pure water, we shall certainly be greatly
benefited, think we should instruct our
II a